France And Germany Commemorate 100th Anniversary Of Verdun Battle

VERDUN, FRANCE - MAY 29: French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel look on after lighting an eternal flame inside the ossuary at Douaumont in memory of the 130,000 soldiers whose remains are buried at the site during ceremonies to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the World War I Battle of Verdun on May 29, 2016 near Verdun, France. The 1916, 10-month battle pitted the French and German armies against one another in a grueling campaign of trench warfare and artillery bombardments that killed a total of approximately 300,000 soldiers. The events today coincide with the 50th anniversary of commemorations held at Verdun by then French President Charles de Gaulle and German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer that paved the way for a new era of peaceful, post-war Franco-German relations. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)